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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Recruitment Recommendations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2010. Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14417.
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Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.

2.0 Recruitment Overview Fixed-route bus, general public demand response, and ADA paratransit systems are finding it challenging to fill managerial positions with individuals who have the appropriate combination of transit experience and leadership skills. This challenge is only expected to increase with impend- ing Baby Boomer retirements. This section provides strategic recommendations in the area of recruitment. While these rec- ommendations focus on recruitment techniques and enhancements, the extent to which recruit- ment efforts are strategic and targeted impacts not only the quality of managers selected but also the extent of training and development new hires will require and the ease with which these man- agers will be retained. The influence of recruitment on training and development as well as reten- tion should be considered in implementing any of the recommendations presented in this Guidebook. In determining managerial recruitment strategies to be undertaken, it is critical for the transit system to decide whether specific transit or general leadership experience is more important to managerial success, especially when candidates with both strong transit back- grounds and leadership skills cannot be found. Recruitment strategies may vary greatly based on the outcome of this decision making process. While many of the recommendations presented in this Guidebook can be effective for bus transit systems of all sizes and types, prioritizing the recommendations will be based on the tran- sit system’s specific needs and organizational model. In recruitment, one size does not fit all so transit systems are advised to thoroughly analyze their existing resources, competency and skill gaps, and internal talent pool prior to modifying their recruitment strategy (see Figure 1 in Appendix A for the analysis that should be conducted prior to the selection of a human resource management strategy). The recruitment strategic recommendations are presented in the following tables: • 2.1: Advertise Job Openings through Transit-Specific Channels • 2.2: Use Online Recruitment Techniques • 2.3: Match Recruitment Source to the Type of Candidate Desired • 2.4: Conduct a Compensation Study • 2.5: Highlight Employee Benefits • 2.6: Recruit Internally for Management Positions • 2.7: Recruit Nontraditional Applicants • 2.8: Use a Panel or Multiple Interviewers • 2.9: Utilize Structured, Behavioral-based Job Relevant Interview Protocols • 2.10: Incorporate Realistic Job Previews (RJPs) 3 C H A P T E R 2 Recruitment Recommendations

Table 2.1: Advertise Job Openings Through Transit-Specific Channels Description: Some transit agencies use transit-specific publications and websites in addition to, or instead of, using general, non transit-specific methods and mass job sites for posting manager job openings. How to Implement this Recommendation • Advertising via transit-only publications and websites allows agencies to focus on the appli- cants with relevant experience who may require less post-hire training with respect to the tran- sit aspects of the job. • Consider how broad the applicant pool needs to be. The broader the applicant pool, the more resources that will have to be applied to screening applicants. – For instance, if a system believes there is significant transit talent within its state, advertis- ing openings with the state’s transit association or the system’s own website may suit recruitment needs. – However, if the system seeks experience from a broader applicant pool, advertising via a nationally circulated transit magazine or website may prove more effective (e.g., APTA Pas- senger Transport and CTAA Community Transportation magazines). • Systems typically use national publications to recruit for upper level manager jobs, but often use more local resources to fill bus operator/driver, maintenance, dispatcher, and supervisor positions. • Many transit systems receive assistance from State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) in spreading the word about managerial vacancies. • Some transit systems mail out managerial job announcement recruitment letters to peer tran- sit systems, either nationally or regionally, as a way of soliciting candidate response. Examples of Innovative and Effective Transit Practices • The Port Authority of Allegheny County, Jefferson Transit, Golden Empire Transit, and Capital Transit all use Passenger Transport to advertise manager job openings. Passenger Transport is a bi-weekly magazine published by American Public Transportation Association (APTA) that offers classified advertising and display advertising (e.g., full page, 1⁄4 page). Classi- fied ads are published in the print and online versions of the magazine. • Capital Transit and Transfort advertise openings via Community Transportation (CT) mag- azine which is published bi-monthly by the Community Transportation Association of Amer- ica (CTAA). CT offers classified and display advertising; classified ads also are posted to the CTAA website. • Many transit systems advertise job openings through their state’s transit organization. The Port Authority of Allegheny County has used the Pennsylvania Public Transit Association’s (PPTA) website (www.ppta.net) to recruit managers. Similarly, Transfort has advertised manager jobs via the Colorado Association of Transit Agencies (CASTA). CASTA features employment opportunities on its website (www.coloradotransit.com) and in its quarterly newsletter CASTA Connection. In addition, Jefferson Transit uses the Washington State Transit Association web- site (www.watransit.com) and Atomic City Transit makes use of the New Mexico Passenger Transportation Association website (www.nmpta.com) to recruit managers. 4 Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems

• Transit agencies also make use of their own transit websites to advertise job openings and recruit applicants. As part of a municipality, Capital Transit’s jobs are posted directly to the city’s job listings webpage (www.juneau.org/personnel/jobs.php). Jefferson Transit posts job openings directly on the front page of its website (www.jeffersontransit.com). This high visibility location ensures that site visitors see the postings. OATS, Inc. advertises job opportunities along with a video about the services that OATS, Inc. provides on its website at www.oatstransit.org/ job_opportunities.php. Potential Barriers Potential Facilitators Recruitment Recommendations 5 • Leverage city, state, and regional resources to advertise job openings. • Communicate with system administrators about how to use transit resources to adver- tise managerial jobs to recruit the type of applicants the system wants to hire. • Cost is one barrier some agencies face when advertising job openings. Alternative Approaches to Practice Alternative Approach 1: A classified advertisement in a widely circulated publication could be costly while advertising via the system or city website can be much more cost effective. Other agencies may be willing to post job vacancy information on their internal intranet site. Alternative Approach 2: Larger transportation associations often offer advertising discounts for members, so ask about any discounts a system may be eligible to receive. Impact of the Practice • Advertising jobs solely to the transit community allows for a narrower applicant pool consist- ing of individuals interested in transit and likely with some transit-related skills and experi- ence. Research has found that applicants are more attracted to jobs that have a website that provides interactive information to help potential applicants identify how well they will “fit” with the organization (Breaugh, 2008). For example, websites may include employee profiles where an existing employee participates in an interview and describes the type of job he/she performs and the advantages and challenges of the job. Basic Steps for Transit Implementation of this Strategic Recommendation 1. Determine the importance of transit-specific experience in filling managerial job openings. 2. Determine the practicality of and need for national versus regional or local advertising for managerial candidates. 3. Based on the above two determinations, advertise in transit-specific media such as CTAA and APTA magazines, through the state transit association and state DOT, or any appropriate transit websites. 4. Consider alternate means of advertising managerial job openings, such as mailing recruit- ment letters to peer transit systems.

Table 2.2: Use Online Recruitment Techniques Description: Most organizations and a majority of the general public use the Internet as a part of their daily activities. Use of the Internet also extends to recruitment strategies. Transit systems are leveraging job search sites of various types to reach a broader audience including those located in other regions of the country. Some transit systems also are using their own websites to post job openings, submit resumes and/or applications online, provide videos that showcase specific jobs, conduct Question and Answer sessions for interested applicants, host chat-rooms where applicants can join conversations with managers, and communicate the organization’s mission, goals and accomplishments. How to Implement this Recommendation There are many different online websites that transit systems can use to recruit managers, such as: • Job Search Websites. These are websites that allow applicants to search for open positions that are posted to the sites by employers. Typically, job seekers are able to post resumes to the web- site which allows employers to search among those potential applicants. Job Search websites range in size and may be industry specific. Some popular industry and non-industry specific job search sites include: – Monster.com – CareerBuilder.com – HotJobs.Yahoo.com – Craigslist.org (This site is free and allows systems to advertise to individuals located in spe- cific regions of the country.) – TransitJobFinder.com (This is a transit specific job search website.) • Job Aggregator Websites. Job Aggregator Websites collect job postings from other websites and aggregate them into one database. Job aggregators often include jobs from popular job search websites (e.g., Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com) as well as other large and smaller job sites, and may even include unadvertised jobs from employer websites. Employers can often sub- mit job postings directly to job aggregator websites. Some examples are: – Indeed.com – SimplyHired.com – TheLadders.com – LinkUp.com • Social Networking Websites. A growing trend in recruiting is using social networking websites to recruit managers and employees. While mainly used to facilitate connections and interact with friends, family and colleagues, many social networking websites allow employers to advertise open positions on their sites. In addition, sites that cater to professionals (e.g., LinkedIn.com) allow users to type keywords into a search engine to find highly qualified job seekers and passive candidates (individuals who are not actively seeking a new job). • The following are some popular social networking sites in the United States: – MySpace.com – Facebook.com – Twitter.com – LinkedIn.com • Intranets/System Websites. The intranet is a private network, typically limited to employees of an organization, that allows administrators and employees to securely share information 6 Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems

within the organization. Intranets can be used to collaborate on projects, share policies, and advertise job openings internally. Intranets typically operate separately from organization websites, which can be used to advertise open positions externally since these are accessible to people outside the organization. Employee referrals are one of the most effective means of recruitment and the intranet allows employees to be easily informed of job vacancies. • Transit-Specific Websites. Many transit organizations and associations allow transit systems to advertise job openings on their websites. These are discussed in Table 2.1. • Some transit systems advertise through a variety of other media to attempt to reach manage- rial candidates who do not have transit experience but who have strong leadership skills. These include non-transit industry publications, non-transit industry associations, contacts through the local business community, and word-of-mouth communications involving other public agencies, non-profits, and the private sector. Examples of Innovative and Effective Transit Practices • OCCK, Inc. OCCK, Inc. uses a popular local radio station’s website to publicize system job openings within the Salina, Kansas region. RadioWorksJobLink.com allows the system and other local organizations to post job notices for a low weekly fee. • Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority. Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority utilizes www2.scnow.com/scp/jobs to advertise job openings, which is Florence, South Car- olina’s local newspaper website and is linked with Yahoo’s HotJobs. The system also uses the South Carolina State Job Board via www.jobs.sc.gov to post job vacancies. • Mass Transportation Authority. Mass Transportation Authority uses Monster.com to recruit applicants for some of its vacant management positions. After posting vacancies internally, the Port Authority of Allegheny County uses its own website, job search websites, and social net- working sites to recruit external applicants. The authority’s website, www.portauthority.org/ PAAC/CompanyInfo/JobOpportunities/tabid/70/Default.aspx, provides available positions and job descriptions with job requirements and preferred qualifications. When the authority advertises via local Pittsburgh newspapers, the advertisements are also sent to Monster.com. CareerBuilder.com is another job search website used to recruit applicants. The system uses LinkedIn to advertise open positions and has also advertised via Twitter tweets for hard-to-fill positions in addition to providing service and route updates. • South Lane Wheels. South Lane Wheels has a very limited recruitment budget and uses Craigslist as one of its primary recruiting sources because the system can post job openings on the website for free. For one recent vacancy, the system received nine applicants within 24 hours of posting the advertisement on Craigslist, despite having the one of the lowest compensation and benefits packages among competitors in the area. • Capital Transit. To fill manager positions at Capital Transit, the system uses the Juneau City website to recruit applicants. Because the system is part of the City of Juneau, Alaska, Capital Transit and other city departments advertise job openings on www.juneau.org/personnel/ jobs.php. • Coast Transit Authority. Coast Transit also uses its website, www.coasttransit.com, to recruit applicants. The site lists open positions along with brief descriptions of the jobs, information about where and when to apply, and a contact for additional information. • Cache Valley Transit District. Cache Valley uses several Internet based recruitment strate- gies. The system uses its own website, www.cvtdbus.org/aboutus/careeropportunities.php, to provide information about job openings, where and when to apply for positions, and to pro- vide a contact for more information about openings. Recruitment Recommendations 7 (continued on next page)

Table 2.2: Use Online Recruitment Techniques (Continued) Examples of Innovative and Effective Non-Transit Practices • Focus group participants from the utilities and package delivery industries stated they use social networking websites to recruit managers. One organization uses both LinkedIn and Craigslist to recruit for many positions, including management jobs. Another organization is currently working to establish a larger presence on the Internet with an emphasis on social networking websites. The participant stated that the organization signed up and posted director positions on LinkedIn in March 2009. The next day they had 23 candidates for the director jobs. • Online social networks could also be used internally, as with one organization that was part of the focus group. The participant stated that his organization established an internal social network to increase the visibility of opportunities to move within the organization. Employ- ees voluntarily describe their career interests, geographical interests, and other factors, and a forum facilitates communication between employees and the organization about internal opportunities. Potential Barriers Potential Facilitators 8 Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems • Basic knowledge of the Internet and websites that can be used for recruitment of managers. • Personnel available to screen many poten- tial applications and resumes. • Inexperience with job search and social net- working websites. • Not enough staff, time, or resources to use all of these recruitment strategies. Alternative Approaches to Practice Alternative Approach 1: Systems that are inexperienced in using online recruitment tools should visit a few of these websites to become acquainted with them. Most have an explanation of how the service works and a range of service fees. Once different websites have been explored, sys- tems can choose the website or websites that best suit their recruitment needs. Alternative Approach 2: If a system is uncomfortable advertising on job search websites directly, many newspapers also post job openings to these websites for free with a paid advertisement in their newspaper. Alternative Approach 3: Start by using only one or two of the online recruitment strategies. Then systems can gauge the personnel, time, or resources required to maintain those techniques and also if they will need to use additional online recruitment tools. A system may find that one online tool is all they need to recruit qualified management applicants. Impact of the Practice • The benefit of online recruitment tools for transit systems is that they can easily reach a large audience at a relatively low cost. Further, social networking may be especially useful for agen- cies that are having trouble recruiting because they can target job postings to specific indus- tries, job functions, and geographic areas.

Basic Steps for Transit Implementation of this Strategic Recommendation 1. Determine if the transit system will view candidates as acceptable for future vacancies if these candidates were previously managers and have strong leadership skills but do not have transit- specific experience. 2. If it is determined that the transit system desires to recruit candidates with no transit experi- ence but with strong leadership skills, consider utilizing general, non transit-specific job search, job aggregator and social networking websites to advertise managerial vacancies. 3. In addition to using general job websites to reach potential candidates, consider using other media as well as involving local or regional government, nonprofit, and private sector orga- nizations. Recruitment Recommendations 9

Table 2.3: Match Recruitment Source to the Type of Candidate Desired Description: Utilizing a wide variety of different recruiting techniques is an important element in building a deep and diverse applicant pool. Both traditional (e.g., newspaper advertisements, job fairs) and nontraditional (e.g., transit-specific websites, social networking websites) recruitment techniques are used to provide transit systems with qualified and diverse managerial candidates. The sources used for recruiting potential candidates can be tailored to the type of applicants sought. How to Implement this Recommendation • The type of recruitment efforts a transit system should use depends upon the position it is recruiting for and the kind of managers they wish to attract. – Minorities. If the transit system wishes to have a greater representation of minorities in the workforce, marketing job opportunities to minority-represented associations and partner- ing with community organizations that have a connection with minority groups would be strategic recruitment approaches. – Long-Term Managers. If a transit system is part of a city, municipality, or county, they could consider promoting this relationship. Since many local and state governments are perceived as stable and good places to work, it may be advantageous to promote a system’s link to these entities. This is likely to attract individuals to the system who are looking for a stable and long-term career. – Candidates’ Educational Background. Transit systems seeking candidates with a particu- lar educational background could advertise job openings at technical schools, colleges, or universities that offer related programs. Advertising at academic institutions can attract new graduates as well as more experienced alumni. Alumni often search for new opportunities at their alma mater when seeking a career move, and many schools have an active alumni network to facilitate communication with graduates about news, events, and opportunities. – Retirees/Seniors. Some workers retire from their career but would still like to work after retirement. Transit systems can recruit retirees and seniors by advertising job openings via organizations for retired persons (e.g., AARP), senior centers, retirement communities, and job fairs that target this population. – Transit Experience. Transit systems seeking applicants with transit experience can recruit via several transit sources including magazines (e.g., Community Transportation, Passenger Transport), transit-specific websites (e.g., transittalent.com), national transit associations (e.g., CTAA, APTA), state transit organizations, and systems’ own websites. This will ensure that individuals who see the advertisement are interested in transit, and are more likely to have transit experience. – Leadership Skills. Transit systems seeking applicants who may not have transit experience but have demonstrated strong leadership skills can recruit via general, or non transit-specific sources (e.g. newspapers, social websites, Chambers of Commerce, local management asso- ciations and groups, local business and industry, local or state government entities, local or regional nonprofit agencies). • For all types of candidates desired, transit systems can tailor recruitment materials to describe a successful person or job that would interest potential applicants. • Transit systems can also sponsor career orientation activities for individuals from particular populations. This can help individuals understand how they would fit in a transit career. 10 Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems

• Develop messages about how certain populations fit within transit systems. Using retirees and seniors as an example, messages could include: – Our transit system has retirees/seniors as managers – Our transit system wants retirees/seniors to enrich our workforce – Our transit system welcomes retirees/seniors – Retirees/Seniors are leaders in our transit system Examples of Innovative and Effective Transit Practices • Palace Transit. Palace Transit partners with other city departments to participate in job fairs and career expos. This increases the visibility of transit to potential applicants who are inter- ested in working for the city and also promotes the transit system to job fair participants. • Transit systems including The Port Authority of Allegheny County, Capital Transit, Trans- fort, and Jefferson Transit use transit-specific sources to recruit managers from the transit industry. Examples of Innovative and Effective Non-Transit Practices • Several benchmarking focus group participants target minority conferences and other minor- ity organizations to diversify their recruitment of managers. One participant from an energy company noted that his organization has partnered with the National Black MBA Association to recruit its members at the association’s annual conference. The energy company also col- laborated with the Black MBA Association to host an industry panel discussion. Potential Barriers Potential Facilitators Recruitment Recommendations 11 • Transit systems that are willing to put extra effort into recruiting the applicants their system is missing. • Transit systems may be unable to revise recruitment materials due to cost or other restrictions. • The applicant pool in a system’s region does not include individuals from a particular demographic (e.g., few minorities in the region). Alternative Approaches to Practice Alternative Approach 1: If a transit system is unable to change their job postings to target specific populations for recruitment, they could consider adding descriptions of successful employees who are from the population the system would like target (e.g., graduates from a particular university or with a certain certification, individuals who retired then came to work for the system). Alternative Approach 2: Transit systems that lack a diverse local applicant pool could benefit from using Internet-based recruitment strategies to target specific groups, as well as nationally distributed magazines and newsletters from organizations that cater to certain populations. Impact of the Practice • Using job fairs, employment centers and workforce development programs, community bul- letin boards and local newspapers geared toward special populations (e.g., seniors or retirees) to advertise positions have been successful recruitment strategies in transit systems (KFH Group, Inc. 2008; TCRP RRD 88 2008). (continued on next page)

Table 2.3: Match Recruitment Source to the Type of Candidate Desired (Continued) Basic Steps for Transit Implementation of this Strategic Recommendation 1. Consider utilizing a wide variety of different recruiting techniques to build a deep and diverse applicant pool. 2. Initiate diverse recruiting in order to fill managerial vacancies using both traditional and non- traditional recruitment techniques. 3. Target recruitment efforts to the kind of manager the transit system wishes to attract, be that based on woman or minority status, educational background, transit experience, or leader- ship skills. 4. Consider incorporating into recruitment materials any aspect of transit system employment that promotes the possibility of a stable and long-term career, such as the system’s relation- ship with city or county government. 12 Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems

Table 2.4: Conduct a Compensation Study Description: Compensation surveys (salary surveys) allow agencies to determine how the salary and benefits they offer compare to other organizations (determining external equity). How to Implement this Recommendation • To determine external equity, a job’s worth is compared to the external market (e.g., other transit systems or organizations) (Aamodt 2004). External equity is important for agencies to attract and retain managers. • Transit systems can conduct a benchmarking study through the use of a compensation sur- vey to determine external equity; the surveys can be conducted in various ways: – A system can send a survey to other transit systems and organizations. This survey could ask how the system or organization compensates staff in various positions, and may include questions about benefits. – A transit system could also use the results of a salary survey conducted by a trade group or other firm. These survey results are often available for a fee. – The Bureau of Labor Statistics conducts the National Compensation Survey, which provides measures of wages, cost trends, and benefits rates. The survey provides data for localities, broad geographic regions, and the nation for civilian workers, those in private industry, and state and local government employees. • Once the transit system has obtained compensation information, the system can choose how to evaluate its own compensation practices with respect to the benchmarks. – For example, a transit system might choose to offer compensation at the high end of the market range to attract the best applicants and retain current managers. – Another system could choose to offer the “going rate” (i.e., the average) for a position to remain in the competition, though they may miss out on the best candidates (Aamodt 2004). • If pay is adjusted for external manager recruits, make sure that it is comparable to current managers’ compensation rates. If the rates are not comparable, current managers may feel slighted and decide to leave. • Research indicates that improving compensation practices such as the structure and timing of wages can increase employee retention (KFH Group, Inc. 2008). • Peterson (2007) suggests that transportation systems should, where possible, adopt a grade and salary structure. This includes a grade structure, salary ranges for each grade, and a sys- tem for advancing employees through the salary range based on their increased value to the organization. Examples of Innovative and Effective Transit Practices • Port Authority of Allegheny County. In order to remain competitive, the Port Authority of Allegheny County conducted a benchmarking survey of compensation practices. Opera- tionally related jobs were benchmarked with other transit systems for compensation compari- son, and jobs in non-transit specific disciplines were compared to the local market and existing internal positions. Based on the study’s results, the Authority’s compensation package for external candidates was revised and internal manager compensation was reviewed for salary compression and internal equity and appropriate adjustments were made. This initiative was conducted using reputable salary survey instruments, total rewards trends, and a point factor to determine fair and equitable offers. Recruitment Recommendations 13 (continued on next page)

Table 2.4: Conduct a Compensation Study (Continued) • Transfort. Before posting job ads for its Assistant General Manager position, Transfort con- ducted a salary survey. The system used a job analysis questionnaire consisting of 12 questions about responsibilities and authority in the position and Transfort’s compensation manager produced a pay range that the position should fall within. This led to a competitive salary when compared with comparable systems. • Atomic City Transit. Atomic City Transit is in the middle of a market survey to assess the competitiveness of their salary and benefits package. The study is assessing the salaries of sim- ilar management positions locally and nationally. • Golden Empire Transit. Golden Empire Transit conducted a salary and benefits survey in 2007 to ensure competitiveness with other transit systems. As a result, salary and benefits are not a challenge to recruitment as their compensation package is comparable to the industry and the local area. Examples of Innovative and Effective Non-Transit Practices • One benchmarking participant from a large state DOT acknowledged that engineers, espe- cially at management levels, are often enticed away by private sector organizations. The agency frequently conducts external market salary surveys to ensure they remain aware of what com- petitors are paying engineers. The agency then uses this information in combination with internal statistics that show which jobs are suffering the greatest losses to identify where salary increases or other forms of compensation enhancements (e.g., benefits) are needed. The agency also extends the survey to surrounding counties since much of their competition comes from counties that offer $5,000–10,000/yr more. Potential Barriers Potential Facilitators 14 Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems • Established relationships and contacts with other transit agencies will help facilitate a system-driven salary survey. • Gaining support from top management and administrators that determining and providing equitable compensation for jobs is an important recruitment and retention strategy. • Agencies may not have formal connections withotheragencies to facilitate a home-grown salary survey. • Other agencies may not be willing to pro- vide compensation information to a “com- petitor.” • The cost of conducting a salary survey or purchasing the results of a trade group’s sur- vey may be too high for some transit systems. Alternative Approaches to Practice Alternative Approach 1: If agencies do not currently have connections with transit systems locally or nationally, they can contact their state transit/transportation association for contact information of other systems. Alternative Approach 2: As incentive for other transit systems’ participation in a salary survey, offer participants the results of the salary survey. The system may be more willing to share com- pensation information if they receive the final study report. Alternative Approach 3: Instead of conducting a large-scale survey, agencies can focus on the local or regional labor market for its survey. Asking a few agencies in the surrounding area about their compensation rates and benefits would take much less time, and could still glean impor- tant information.

Impact of the Practice • The results of these surveys inform transit systems about the competitiveness of their com- pensation so the system can consider making changes. Competitive compensation can help manager recruitment efforts and retention. For example, wage progression that is tied to longevity creates an incentive for employees to stay with a system since their wages can increase over time (KFH Group, Inc. 2008) and the opportunity to earn more with increased tenure could be a significant attractor for job applicants. Basic Steps for Transit Implementation of this Strategic Recommendation 1. Conduct a formal or informal salary and benefits survey to compare how the compensation your system offers to managerial candidates compares to other organizations. 2. Survey peer transit systems, either nationally and/or regionally, along with other local non- transit public and private organizations. 3. Evaluate how your transit system’s compensation practices compare to surveyed organizations. 4. If possible and necessary, adjust your transit system’s compensation rates to ensure manage- rial recruitment competitiveness. Recruitment Recommendations 15

Table 2.5: Highlight Employee Benefits Description: Discussing and promoting transit system benefits packages in job advertisements may make potential applicants more motivated to apply for the job. Emphasizing benefits in recruitment literature can give potential applicants a better idea of the total compensation they will receive if they are hired. How to Implement this Recommendation • Transit systems could conduct a compensation study, as outlined in Table 2.4, to determine which benefits are standard in similar systems and industries or the local area. • Agencies should then review their benefits packages and choose the benefits they would like to highlight in recruitment materials. For example, these benefits could be annual or sick leave amounts, whether insurance is provided and how much the system pays, retirement plans, training opportunities, employee development programs, tuition reimbursement, on-site child care, and commuter benefits. Benefits should include anything that is of most value and addresses the needs of applicants the system wishes to attract. • Think about all the ways a system could advertise its job openings. Review all current job post- ing material including advertisements, website content, brochures, posters, etc., for benefits information. • Where recruitment material is lacking key benefits information or missing benefits data alto- gether, include the benefits highlights. – Add a paragraph or sentence or two to job advertisements and other materials (e.g., classi- fied advertisements in newspapers, advertisements on popular job search websites) to feature key benefits. • Update the transit system website to include current benefits information. Examples of Innovative and Effective Transit Practices • Atomic City Transit. Atomic City Transit’s managerial candidates report that the transit sys- tem’s benefits package is a major draw for them. Atomic City offers: health insurance with no deductible; dental and vision care; 2 mandatory pension plans (Los Alamos County and Pub- lic Employee Retirement Association) and an optional 457 plan in which employees defer compensation on a pre-tax basis; up to 3 weeks of annual leave that begins to accrue from work start; life insurance; long-term disability; and an employee program where the county subsi- dizes YMCA and fitness center costs, offers reduced prices for a golf course, and an outdoor skating rink free to employees. • Pee Dee Regional Transit Authority. Pee Dee Regional Transit Authority in Florence, South Carolina is able to offer job candidates a benefits package that is consistent with what is offered by the state of South Carolina. This makes the system very competitive with regard to its retire- ment plan, 401(k), and health insurance. • Souris Basin Transportation. Souris Basin Transportation mitigates its recruitment chal- lenges (e.g., competitors offer higher salaries, low unemployment in the area) by offering a very competitive benefit package. Transit system benefits follow state guidelines and include 100% employer paid health care, dental and vision premiums for employee coverage, and a smaller percentage paid for family coverage. 16 Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems

Examples of Innovative and Effective Non-Transit Practices • One benchmarking participant from the telecommunications industry reported that his organization studies the types of benefits offered by local and state government agencies and offers benefits that rival those (e.g., health comprehensive, pension plan, 401k matching, edu- cation reimbursement, robust life insurance (short and long), employee discount program through relationship with retail travel and other industries). Every manager in the organiza- tion is also offered a base salary and the opportunity to receive short term incentives (annual bonus) based on the organization’s performance. Other benefits offered include split of cash and stock options (stock options accrue over a 3-year cycle but employees must hold for a year before viable). Potential Barriers Potential Facilitators Recruitment Recommendations 17 • Knowing what benefits attract the kind of candidates the transit system wants to hire is important. • Current management could help define the benefits that they perceive as most important to highlight in order to attract applicants. • Transit systems have established advertise- ments, brochures, and posters, and it would be too costly to replace them. • Systems have a limited advertising budget and cannot afford extensive job advertisements. Alternative Approaches to Practice Alternative Approach 1: Always make sure recruitment materials list the transit system website for further information about things that may change from time to time, such as benefits pack- ages. This way, recruitment materials do not need to be revised each time benefits change; the transit system can simply make the changes to its website. Alternative Approach 2: If, for example, a classified advertisement is short on space, make sure to provide a website where potential applicants can learn more about the transit system’s bene- fits package and the job itself. Alternative Approach 3: Transit agencies could use their managers to determine which benefits should be highlighted in advertising materials if conducting a compensation survey is not possible. Impact of the Practice • Highlighting benefits, flexible scheduling, and working with special need populations can motivate potential applicants to apply for positions in transit agencies (KFH Group, Inc. 2008). Basic Steps for Transit Implementation of this Strategic Recommendation 1. Identify the target applicant pool for manager jobs and determine what personal needs those individuals are likely to have which might otherwise deter them from the jobs due to per- ceived work-life conflict. 2. Review your transit system’s benefit package in order to identify those benefits that would be most attractive in recruiting these managerial candidates. 3. Highlight the benefits that have been determined to be attractive recruitment tools in all modes of advertising for managerial job openings.

Table 2.6: Recruit Internally for Management Positions Description: Internal recruitment is the process of filling vacancies in transit systems with cur- rent employees who have the knowledge, skills, and abilities and relevant experience to perform the job. How to Implement this Recommendation The reasoning behind hiring internal applicants within a transit system is that employees will have risen through the ranks and, as a result, they understand many facets of their organization and their new position. Internal hiring also saves the system money that is usually associated with the training and orientation process for new hires. • Research notes that internal career paths should be fair with only qualified applicants consid- ered for vacant positions, and in-house applicants should not expect or receive special con- siderations over external applicants (KFH Group, Inc. 2008). • Even if an internal candidate is not immediately apparent, post manager job openings that list minimum qualifications within the system or as appropriate in city government. This will ensure that all employees are aware of the opening and can apply if they believe they are qualified. • Job openings can be posted on system bulletin boards, websites or intranets as well as adver- tised in employee newsletters, staff meetings, or emails. It is important that the postings are available to everyone. • If a manager position will soon be available (e.g., a current manager is retiring), systems can take steps to develop high potential employees who are interested in the position, but who may not yet be qualified to be a manager. • Systems can also make use of succession plans to identify employees to fill future vacancies for manager jobs. • Implementing an organizationwide competency model with competency profiles by job will allow hiring managers to easily move individuals from one job into another based on an assessment of employee competencies and the match between the competency profile of an employee’s current job and the competency profile of the vacant manager job. Competency profiles state the level of proficiency and relative importance of each competency for the spe- cific job. Thus, while the competencies may be the same across jobs, the profiles will differ. (See Appendix A Figure 2 for an illustration of competencies.) Examples of Innovative and Effective Transit Practices • Virginia Regional Transit. Virginia Regional Transit proactively recruits internal candidates for management jobs. The system identifies high potential employees and supervisors and offers them training and development opportunities to increase their likelihood of promotion into management positions. Training often includes Certified Community Transit Supervi- sory (CCTS) and Manager (CCTM) Training through the CTAA. • Altoona Metro Transit. Altoona Metro Transit has had success with a program where it pro- motes high potential employees to supervisory positions in transportation and maintenance. Individuals are able to step down without penalty if the position does not work out. • OCCK, Inc. OCCK, Inc. recruits managers from other departments within the agency (tran- sit is one agency component) who have strong leadership skills but who lack technical tran- sit skills. 18 Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems

• Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority. Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority posts all job openings internally in order to offer upward mobility opportunities for those who might be qualified and interested. The system often does hire in-house applicants. • Mass Transportation Authority. Mass Transportation Authority encourages its employees to apply when positions open within the system. The system first seeks internal applicants and if there is no response internally, the Authority recruits external applicants. • Coast Transit. Coast Transit posts its open positions internally for two weeks. If the system receives applications from qualified candidates the system will interview them and make a hir- ing selection. However, if internal candidates for the position are not strong, or if there are no internal applicants, Coast Transit will also recruit externally. • The Port Authority of Allegheny County. The Port Authority is committed to promoting employees from within the system and all position vacancies are posted internally. Employ- ees interested in open positions submit a Career Opportunity Application (COA). COAs are then reviewed for qualifications and matched to the minimum qualifications of the open posi- tion. Successful applicants then begin the selection process starting with a behavioral-based interview. In instances that Authority employees do not have the skill set required for the posi- tion, they will post the position externally. Examples of Innovative and Effective Non-Transit Practices • Some focus group participants noted that as many as 85% to 95% of their senior management and directors were promoted from positions within the organization. • One organization sets hiring targets (e.g., 50% internal promotions, 50% external hires) in order to have a mix of new talent with strong leadership skills and internal promotions with strong technical skills. Potential Barriers Potential Facilitators Recruitment Recommendations 19 • Encourage managers to identify high poten- tial employees and supervisors who could be future managerial candidates. • Systems might not have employees with the right skill sets to fill manager jobs internally. • Some agencies may find it difficult to afford formal training costs in managerial development. Alternative Approach to Practice Alternative Approach 1: If external training programs are out of reach, agencies can use inter- nal or informal training approaches to develop high potential personnel. For example, managers may task a high potential employee or supervisor with increased responsibilities to prepare for a manager position. Job rotations also expose high potentials to work across the organization which allows for a broader understanding of operations and helps to prepare high potentials for management. Impact of the Practice • Identifying qualified employees and hiring managers from within a system’s ranks can have benefits for agencies, including limited training to get up-to-speed, and increased retention by keeping employees who may have considered leaving the system to move ahead in their career. Recruiting internally can also decrease the cost of external recruitment through adver- tisements and training costs to familiarize an external hire with the transit system operation. (continued on next page)

Table 2.6: Recruit Internally for Management Positions (Continued) Basic Steps for Transit Implementation of this Strategic Recommendation 1. Always consider advertising any managerial vacancy internally either before or parallel to out- side recruitment efforts. 2. If internal transit staff applies for a managerial position, evaluate their knowledge, skills, abil- ity and relevant experience to determine whether they are appropriate for the position and respond accordingly. 3. Consider implementing an organizationwide competency model that allows for comparison of competencies required for each transit staff position and provides upward mobility infor- mation to employees and recruitment and selection information for system executives when considering internal applicants. 20 Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems

Table 2.7: Recruit Nontraditional Applicants Description: Utilizing a wide variety of recruiting techniques is an important element in build- ing a deep and diverse applicant pool. Nontraditional applicants, such as students, retirees, and military personnel, could prove to be viable managerial candidates. Often retirees have a wealth of knowledge and desire to return to the workforce in some fashion. Transit systems should con- sider how to leverage the experience and expertise of retirees while keeping in mind retirees might not want to maintain a traditional work schedule; hence, their initial decision to retire. Military personnel also often show exemplary leadership skills based on the discipline and train- ing they gained from being in the military. Students can be brought into the system at little cost using internship programs and other developmental opportunities. The students may be groomed to take over leadership positions very early by engaging in aggressive job rotation pro- grams during their internship or apprenticeship period. How to Implement this Recommendation • There are several ways to recruit nontraditional applicants, including: • Advertising with Nontraditional Applicants in Mind. – Transit agencies could make use of local community colleges or trade schools that offer related programs (KFH Group, Inc. 2008). Agencies that identify schools with programs that are related to transit could recruit graduates by advertising jobs in the school news- paper, website, and career center. Agencies could also contact the program directly to estab- lish a partnership. – Transit systems that would like to tap the knowledge, skills, and abilities of retirees could advertise jobs via senior and retiree newsletters, publications, and organizations. For exam- ple, companies such as Wal-Mart have begun targeting seniors and retirees as potential applicants by recruiting through the American Association for Retired Persons (AARP) (Breaugh 2008). – Likewise, agencies that would like to recruit leadership and mission-oriented individuals may find success in focusing advertisements on military retirees and veterans. Advertise- ments could be posted in military retiree or veteran publications or newsletters from organ- izations with strong former military membership (e.g., the Military Officers Association of America’s website (www.moaa.org) where employers can post jobs targeting retired offi- cers for free). • Participating in Job and Career Fairs for Targeted Recruits. Hosting or attending community job fairs can be an effective means for transit agencies to discuss with students, retirees, and military personnel about how their experience and skills fit with the positions available in the system. Many high schools, colleges, and universities hold job fairs where employers can meet potential student applicants. In addition, military related organizations, such as the Military Officers Association of America, also hold job fairs for retired military personnel. Job fairs tar- geting seniors and retirees are also common throughout the United States, and are typically held by senior centers or organizations and community groups. • Developing an Internship or Apprenticeship Program. A recent report has stated that positions with high turnover are good candidates for the development of internship or apprentice programs (KFH Group Inc., 2008). Transit systems can partner with trade schools, community colleges and universities to provide hands-on training for students, perhaps for course credit. Imple- menting these programs will not guarantee students will stay with the system once the program is complete, but students will have a more accurate perception of the system, and the system will have a good understanding of the student’s skills and abilities (KFH Group, Inc. 2008). Recruitment Recommendations 21 (continued on next page)

Table 2.7: Recruit Nontraditional Applicants (Continued) • Forming Partnerships with Student-run Transit Systems. Student-run bus systems equip stu- dents with not only relevant driving experience but also the opportunity to be a leader amongst their peers and resolve challenging situations that might arise among other student passengers. Many of these systems do not provide management opportunities for the students and thus, would be willing to partner with other systems that could. Unitrans at UC Davis in California, Off Campus College Transport (OCCT) at Binghamton University in New York, University of Dayton in Ohio, and University of Massachusetts Transit are examples of student- run bus systems. Examples of Innovative and Effective Transit Practices • Coast Transit. Coast Transit often hires military retirees with operations experience to direct its Operations department. The Gulfport, Mississippi area where Coast Transit operates attracts many military retirees. • Atomic City Transit. Atomic City Transit in Los Alamos, New Mexico recruits people who are specifically looking to move to the Southwest or to a small town like Los Alamos. This is how they hired their current Transit Manager. The system encourages applicants to move to the city by emphasizing how working in a more remote area can result in having a slower, more peaceful and enjoyable pace of life. • Jefferson Transit. Jefferson Transit uses many recruitment techniques in the Washington state region. The system often receives applications from individuals who are semi-retired or who want to “slow down” later in their careers by working in a more rural setting than large cities like Seattle. • Capital Transit. Capital Transit has seen a trend in which more people are returning to the workforce after retirement. The system noticed that about 50% of its recent manager recruits were retired individuals. Further, retired applicants were typically from other fields, rather than transit or transportation. Although the system has not hired retirees, other city depart- ments have and found them to be effective managers. • Cache Valley Transit District. Cache Valley takes an innovative approach to training the next generation of transit professionals. The system provides internship opportunities for students at Utah State University, which has undergraduate and graduate programs through the uni- versity’s Utah Transportation Center. At the system, interns are exposed to different aspects of transit including maintenance, dispatching, scheduling, administrative issues such as budg- eting, and other areas of student interest. Another system program invites senior students from the Utah Transportation Center to develop their senior project at the system. For exam- ple, one student developed a database for compiling passenger complaints and recommenda- tions. Students receive credit from the university for their work on projects. Cache Valley Transit works to maintain its contacts with university transportation professors in order to continue the internship and senior project partnerships. • University of Massachusetts Transit. UMass Transit drivers are primarily university students. Managers are not students, but there is one Driver Supervisor position reserved for a veteran student driver. Success in this position leads to a sub-management job where the student con- tributes directly to department work. This creates a significant opportunity for students who are interested in a transit career. However, the system rarely has a management position avail- able due to a high retention rate. Thus, when students are interested in pursuing a career in transit, the system refers them to First Transit in Hartford, Connecticut. 22 Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems

Examples of Innovative and Effective Non-Transit Practices • A focus group participant from the commuter rail industry has developed a relationship with the military and a consulting firm to recruit high potential applicants. The organization part- ners with a consulting firm to discover high potential candidates retiring from the military. They work closely with a transition assistant program at one military base to recruit soldiers and officers who are completing their commitment. Along with the program, the organiza- tion provides coaching in basic interview skills and discusses how military experience can be translated to tcivilian work. In addition, the organization works with West Point which holds employer panel discussions for its students. They also conduct mock interviews and discuss with the students how their military experience relates to positions in the organization. (Note: To encourage participation, confidentiality was promised which is why the participant is not named). • Several focus group participants stated that they partner with other organizations in the same industry to market their industry and organizations at professional conferences. This could be an especially useful way to attract applicants if a system is recruiting from a specific field (e.g., engineering or accounting). • Other participants noted the usefulness of partnering with minority associations and confer- ences (e.g., the National Black MBA Association) to increase the diversity of applicants. Potential Barriers Potential Facilitators Recruitment Recommendations 23 • Systems with established relationships at schools, senior centers, or within the military community. • Agencies whose management and employees are willing to teach individuals with limited or no transit experience (but strong leader- ship skills) what they need to know about transit operations. • Limited funds to recruit from traditional and nontraditional sources. • Some transit systems are uncomfortable recruiting and hiring nontraditional employ- ees and managers due to beliefs that man- agers must have specific transit experience. • Systems that do not have the resources to train individuals without transit experience. Alternative Approaches to Practice Alternative Approach 1: Although many publications and websites require employers to pay for job advertisements, many allow employers to post free of charge. Seek out these sources to recruit for both nontraditional and traditional applicants if funding for management recruitment is low. These sources may include transit association and non-transit association publications. Alternative Approach 2: Transit systems that are uncomfortable recruiting and hiring non- traditional applicants could start with short-term hiring commitments. For example, hiring a part-time employee, temporary employee, or student intern with non-transit backgrounds can give systems a better idea about how the knowledge, skills, and abilities of hires from non-transit backgrounds can fit within the system. Impact of the Practice • Job fairs, employment centers, and workforce development programs, community bulletin boards, and local newspapers geared toward special populations (e.g., seniors or retirees) have been successful means of identifying managers for transit systems (KFH Group, Inc. 2008; TCRP RRD 88 2008). (continued on next page)

Table 2.7: Recruit Nontraditional Applicants (Continued) Basic Steps for Transit Implementation of this Strategic Recommendation 1. Identify categories of potential nontraditional candidates that lend themselves to success in transit system managerial roles, such as military personnel, seniors and retirees, and part-time students. 2. Use advertising and media that effectively target the demographic of interest. 3. Participate in job and career fairs to reach targeted nontraditional applicants. 4. Consider developing an internship or apprenticeship program that facilitates bringing nontraditional applicants into the transit environment and prepares them for managerial positions. 24 Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems

Table 2.8: Use a Panel or Multiple Interviewers Description: Panel interviews consist of more than one interviewer at a time. They are often used to assess the interpersonal skills of the candidate, in addition to covering interview questions. Another option is to use multiple interviewers in sequence where a candidate is interviewed by one interviewer, then another, and another as appropriate. How to Implement this Recommendation • After selecting which candidates to interview and choosing which questions to ask candidates, select the interviewers. When using panels or multiple interviewers to interview managers, they typically consist of: – A CEO, General Manager, or Transit Manager – A peer(s), such as an Operations Manager, or Human Resources Manager – A stakeholder, but not someone who would interact with the person daily, such as a man- ager from another system or city department, or an active board member – A subordinate of the position, such as a supervisor, dispatcher or driver • If using a panel interview format, decide which interviewers will ask which questions, or if one interviewer will be the primary interviewer. • Make sure all interviewers are familiar with the questions and allow them to ask questions if they are uncertain. • If the interviews are structured, make sure all interviewers have a copy of the questions to be asked with space available to record candidate responses. • If the interviews will be unstructured, make sure interviewers are aware of the types of ques- tions that are considered illegal, primarily questions that are not job related (e.g., race, nation- ality, religion, marital/family status). Examples of Innovative and Effective Transit Practices • Jefferson Transit. Jefferson Transit typically uses a panel consisting of the General Manager, a manager at the same level as the open position, and a potential subordinate to conduct inter- views using structured interview questions. The peer manager takes part in order to determine how the candidate will get along with fellow managers, and the supervisor is involved to get the perspective of how the candidate will be as a supervisor. Interviews last 40 to 60 minutes. • Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority. At Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority, interviews with qualified candidates are often held using a team interview approach. The team usually consists of the Human Resources Director, the Executive Director, and the Director of Operations and the interviews last 30 to 45 minutes. Pee Dee sometimes uses a multiple inter- viewer approach as well, with the three directors interviewing the candidate separately. • Transfort. Panel interviews for manager and supervisor positions at Transfort last between 1 and 2 hours with a set of structured questions. The panel consists of a cross-section of Trans- fort staff representing managers and front-line staff. • The Port Authority of Allegheny County. The Port Authority uses a one-hour structured interview with at least two people interviewing all candidates. Interviewers are typically the hiring manager (generally the position’s manager) and a person from Human Resources. • Atomic City Transit. After an initial phone interview to screen manager candidates, Atomic City Transit uses a half-day interview with multiple interviewers. Candidates have two scored interviews with other managers and an unscored meal and tour of the town and facility. Atomic City’s managers say that the interview serves two purposes: the interviewers want to know if they can work with the individual; and the candidate wants to know if he or she can work with the current managers and employees. Recruitment Recommendations 25 (continued on next page)

Table 2.8: Use a Panel or Multiple Interviewers (Continued) • Golden Empire Transit. Golden Empire Transit uses a unique approach to panel interview- ing. After a formal structured interview with the Human Resources Manager and CEO, the candidate has another panel interview with all other managers. Although the second interview is informal and not scored, the Human Resources Manager is present to ensure that all ques- tions are legal and pertinent to the job. This system allows the managers to see how the can- didate interacts and get a feel for how he/she may be as a manager. The CEO and Human Resources Manager ask the other managers to express their views about the candidate, and then make their decision. Interviews last about an hour each. • Mass Transportation Authority. Mass Transportation Authority’s panel interview consists of three interviewers and screens candidates by asking the same set of questions of all candi- dates. Responses are scored and based on these scores the system schedules follow-up inter- views with the General Manager. • Capital Transit. As part of a municipality, Capital Transit is accountable to the community. Thus, when hiring for a Transit Superintendent, the system includes a Human Resources staff person as well as a member of the public (typically someone who is active in the city or on a board or assembly). These interviews last 4 to 6 hours and include direct and situational ques- tions. When manager jobs are posted externally, the Transit Superintendent screens all can- didates, chooses three candidates, and chooses two others to help interview candidates. A human resources professional, someone from another city department (e.g., public works), and the Transit Superintendent conduct the panel interviews. The person from another city department is involved to increase objectivity. The interviews are structured with preset ques- tions and last approximately 1.5 hours. • Havasu Area Transit. Havasu Area Transit’s Transit Services Manager reviews all applications and chooses which applicants to interview. Normally there are three people on the interview panel including the Transit Services Manager, a representative from city Human Resources, and the Community Services Director, to whom Transit reports. Potential Barriers Potential Facilitators 26 Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems • If system management and administrators believe in a more objective interview process, the use of panel or multiple interviewers will likely be permitted. • System employees interested in their poten- tial coworker or manager will probably be willing to take part in a panel or multiple interview process. • A system may not be able to get a group of managers or employees to conduct an inter- view together at one time. Alternative Approaches to Practice Alternative Approach 1: If a system is unable to get a group of managers or employees together at one time, consider using a multiple interview approach over the course of a morning, after- noon, or full day. Alternative Approach 2: If system managers are geographically dispersed, a teleconference for- mat could be used for panel interviews or multiple interviews.

Impact of the Practice • Using at least two interviewers should reduce subjectivity in evaluating candidates (Cook and Lawrie 2004). This makes it more likely that a system will hire a candidate based on his or her job-related experience and knowledge rather than the candidate’s personality or other traits not related to the position job function. Basic Steps for Transit Implementation of this Strategic Recommendation 1. Identify both the positive and negative aspects of managerial job positions that your system is planning to fill. 2. Highlight these positive and negative aspects of managerial jobs in all recruitment materials and efforts. 3. Emphasize positive aspects of the job to be filled without downplaying negative aspects and use innovative techniques to present this information, such as written job ads, website post- ings, videos, brochures, workplace tours, and job fair presentations. Recruitment Recommendations 27

Table 2.9: Utilize Structured, Behavioral-based Job Relevant Interview Protocols Description: In structured interviews, the same interview questions are utilized for all candidates by all interviewers. Job analysis information should be the foundational basis for the content of interview questions to ensure job relevance of the interview. Job analysis information may also be used to create a standardized system for scoring responses to each question (Aamodt 2004). Behavioral-based, job-relevant interview questions allow interviewers to make candidate selec- tion decisions based on objective factors that predict job performance as opposed to interviewer personal preference and other subjective factors which may have little to no bearing on actual job performance. The use of structured interview protocols and standardized scoring systems pro- vides consistency across interviewers and a fair comparison of candidates. How to Implement this Recommendation • A job analysis should be used to create a structured interview. Interview questions should be designed to measure the extent to which the candidate’s knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) match the KSAs necessary to perform successfully in the job, as outlined in the job analysis. • Research recommends using behavioral-based interviews that rely on candidate past behav- iors as opposed to traditional interviewing that asks about hypothetical situations (Cook and Laurie 2004). This approach is based on the theory that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. Interview questions that ask candidates to respond to scenarios by providing specific examples of behaviors they have exhibited in those situations in the past allows for assessment of past performance. The scenarios included in the interview should represent the KSAs deemed critical for the job and necessary at entry. • Behavioral-based interviews ask candidates to describe observable behaviors using action- oriented verbs. • Several approaches can be taken to score question responses. – First, some responses can be scored as being right or wrong if there is a definitive answer. – Another method is to create a list of possible answers to the interview questions. Then sub- ject matter experts review the list and rate possible responses to serve as benchmarks on a scoring scale. – Finally, an approach that considers the key issues that subject matter experts think should be included in an ideal question response could be used. Interviewees could then receive points based on the number of issues they include in their responses (Aamodt 2004). • All hiring assessments, including interview questions, should be pilot tested and validated to ensure they measure intended applicant job-related characteristics (Cook and Laurie 2004). Examples of Innovative and Effective Transit Practices • The Port Authority of Allegheny County. The Port Authority uses a competency-based inter- view model for all interviewees. This model was purchased from a vendor who also trains sys- tem interviewers to use the model. Individuals at the Port Authority cannot interview a job candidate without competency-based interviewer training. Questions are based on a job analysis and the model forces interviewees to give real life examples of skills that would be applied to the position for which they are interviewing. A structured interview guide is used and interviewers select from a pool of possible questions. The model has been researched and validation studies have been performed on the assessment to ensure it is defensible in court. Interviews take at least one hour and are typically conducted by a representative from HR along with the hiring manager. 28 Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems

• Havasu Area Transit, Capital Transit, Mass Transportation Authority, Cache Valley Tran- sit District, and Transfort all conduct structured interviews to emphasize consistency across interviewers as well as for ease of scoring responses. Examples of Innovative and Effective Non-Transit Practices • One benchmarking participant from a utilities company stated they conduct psychological, cognitive, and behavioral assessments to determine how the candidate makes decisions and assess their civility in leadership positions. Potential Barriers Potential Facilitators Recruitment Recommendations 29 • Subject matter experts/consultants/organi- zational psychologists willing to assist in developing a structured interview protocol and process. • Transit agencies may not have job analysis data to use to create the interview questions. • Some hiring managers or interviewers may think that a structured interview is too rigid. Alternative Approaches to Practice Alternative Approach 1: Short of a comprehensive job analysis, agencies could use the job description to pull out information about required KSAs and duties performed on the job. Then interview questions can be formed based on this information. (Note: For legal defensibility of the selection process, we suggest caution when using this approach as job descriptions may be based on out-dated or person-specific information if the job descriptions were created without first conducting job analyses.) Alternative Approach 2: Transit agencies could also utilize their internal subject matter experts (e.g., job incumbents, the manager or supervisor of the job for which selection is taking place) to help develop interview content. These subject matter experts could identify the necessary KSAs and typical job responsibilities and build questions that assess if the interviewees’ KSAs match the position requirements. Alternative Approach 3: With large numbers of applicants and limited resources, systems may choose to use an off-the-shelf multiple choice assessment and then ask follow-up questions of interviewees who pass the initial hurdle of the multiple choice assessment. These follow-up ques- tions could be as simple as “Please provide 1–2 examples of times when you conducted the activ- ity described in Question 2 of the multiple choice exam.” Impact of the Practice • Using structured interviews increases the reliability of interviews. Structured interviews that have been validated (through content or criterion validation) are more legally defensible than unstructured interviews (Aamodt 2004). Basic Steps for Transit Implementation of this Strategic Recommendation 1. Review job descriptions that apply to managerial vacancies to ensure they are up-to-date and accurately reflect major job task requirements and successful job behaviors. 2. Based on an updated job description and a job analysis, create a structured interview ques- tionnaire designed to measure how a managerial candidate’s KSAs match those necessary for job success. (continued on next page)

Table 2.9: Utilize Structured, Behavioral-based Job Relevant Interview Protocols (Continued) 3. Include, in the structured interview questionnaire, questions that will illuminate managerial candidate’s past behaviors in response to transit system specific scenarios. 4. Create an acceptable scoring system to measure managerial candidate response to the struc- tured interview questions. 5. Orient all interviewers on use of this structured questionnaire, including scoring and note taking of interviewee responses. 6. After all candidates have been interviewed, utilize the interviewer scoring and notes to determine which candidate should be offered the position and keep all paperwork of interviews on file. 30 Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems

Table 2.10: Incorporate Realistic Job Previews (RJPs) Description: RJPs provide applicants with an accurate description of both the positive and neg- ative aspects of a job during the recruitment process, thus discouraging uninterested applicants and encouraging those truly interested. RJPs should be incorporated into all recruitment sources, job postings, and advertisements. How to Implement this Recommendation • Realistic job previews should be provided early in the recruitment process because they have little effectiveness if provided after hiring (Breaugh 2008). • The information provided in RJPs should cover what applicants can expect to provide the organization (e.g., hours, number of days worked, amount of stress, degree of urgency, duties performed) and what the organization will provide to the applicant if hired (e.g., pay, bene- fits, amount of flexibility, workplace environment, system mission, training opportunities, the chance to make a positive difference in customer quality of life, the advantage of working on a value based team). • RJPs can take a number of formats, including: – Description in a job advertisement or system website. Write the job ad or information on a system website from the perspective of a manager and include work duties, opportunities, and challenges. Use a manager who has the skills the system wishes to attract. – Videos. Can include employees, managers, and customers and discuss the nature of work in the system and how service affects the community. Videos could be in documentary form or interview format. Agencies can show the video before interviews, post it to their website, or even on YouTube or other social networking websites. – Brochures. Reinforce information provided in the job ad or video with a brochure. These give applicants a portable version of the RJP and can be provided to prospective applicants at job fairs, career expos, and industry conferences. – Workplace tours. Before or during the interview process, bring candidates on a tour of the system and perhaps the community served as well. – Verbal presentations. During the interview process or at job fairs/career expos, managers in similar positions and employees can present applicants with their experiences at work. This could also include a question and answer session. – Work simulations. Put an applicant in a situation in which you can assess how they would per- form on the job, or assess certain job tasks (e.g., in-basket assessment, pre-trip inspections). • However, consider that one-way RJP approaches (e.g., booklets, videos) may be less effective than two-way approaches that allow applicants to discuss and ask questions about the job (Breaugh 2008). Examples of Innovative and Effective Transit Practices • Jefferson Transit. Jefferson Transit takes a bold but realistic approach to advertising manager jobs. For instance, in the job ad the system states, “This is the hardest, most underappreciated job you’ll ever love.” This type of ad draws attention and applicants appreciate the honesty. In turn, Jefferson Transit does not waste time on applicants and candidates who are not willing to tolerate the work conditions. • OCCK, Inc. OCCK, Inc. includes employee videos on their website where an employee describes the typical day-to-day of his/her job as well as some of the challenges. Recruitment Recommendations 31 (continued on next page)

Table 2.10: Incorporate Realistic Job Previews (RJPs) (Continued) • OATS, Inc. OATS, Inc. presents a video about providing transportation in rural Missouri directly on its job opportunities portion of the website. The video includes customer testimo- nials, employee insights, and provides an overview of the types of services that OATS provides. • Souris Basin Transportation. Souris Basin Transportation requires candidates to ride in their vehicles. This gives the candidates the opportunity either to embrace the system’s mission, or to remove themselves as candidates because of lack of comfort with the job. • Atomic City Transit. Atomic City Transit typically has candidates from out of state, so the system encourages candidates to spend some time touring the town, riding their buses, and seeing how things operate. The system also includes meeting other managers as part of their half-day interview. • Golden Empire Transit. Golden Empire Transit gives each candidate a tour of the facility dur- ing the interview process, which allows candidates to see how the system operates. Examples of Innovative and Effective Non-Transit Practices • One benchmarking participant from the utilities industry noted that candidates often gather critical information about the nature of the organization during initial interviews. Thus, can- didates seek RFP information during the interview process. The participant noted the impor- tance of managers being well-versed in facts about their organization and its culture. To do this, he keeps a checklist that features key organizational information (a fact sheet) and the latest news to convey to candidates. Potential Barriers Potential Facilitators 32 Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems • Gaining buy-in from administrators and employees about the importance of sharing realistic information about the job and the organization. • Encourage employers and managers with 5–10 years experience with the system to assist with RJP development. These staff members are new enough to understand the current labor market, but also seasoned enough to understand the unique factors of the job and system. • It is costly to change current ads and job postings or hire professionals to create new recruitment materials. • Lack of technology and equipment to pre- pare videos. • Lack of expertise to create a video in-house. • The job is currently changing due to a shift in demands so a realistic requirement today may not be one tomorrow. Alternative Approaches to Practice Alternative Approach 1: While incorporating RJPs into all recruitment efforts is ideal, agencies with barriers to implementation could choose one or a few of the RJP approaches. For example, if a system is unable to create an RJP video, they could add a brief description of the job’s chal- lenges and opportunities to a job advertisement. Alternative Approach 2: Agencies that find changing current job postings too costly could include a workplace tour, bus ride-along, or verbal presentation as part of their interview process.

Impact of the Practice • Although RJPs may deter some prospective applicants from applying for or accepting a posi- tion, research shows that RJPs reduce turnover for applicants who receive them and accept a job offer (Reinach and Viale 2007) and improve accuracy of applicants’ expectations regarding the job (Breaugh 2008). Basic Steps for Transit Implementation of this Strategic Recommendation 1. Identify positive and negative aspects of managerial job positions that your system is plan- ning to fill. 2. Include a balance of positive and negative aspects of jobs in all recruitment materials and efforts. 3. Emphasize positive aspects of the job to be filled without downplaying negative aspects and use innovative techniques to present this information, such as written job ads, website post- ings, videos, brochures, workplace tours, and job fair presentations. Recruitment Recommendations 33

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TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 139: Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems explores resources for fixed-route bus, general public demand response, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) paratransit systems resources to assist in the recruitment, development, and retention of managers. The Guidebook is accompanied by CRP-CD-77, which provides Model Job Descriptions for 32 broad job titles that indicate the structure and content for job descriptions for manager jobs.

The CD-ROM is also available for download from TRB’s website as an ISO image. Links to the ISO image and instructions for burning a CD-ROM from an ISO image are provided below.

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A separate report presenting the research methodology, the results of a literature review, and the results from focus groups held with 15 other non-transit public and private sector organizations used in production of TRCP Report 139 is available online.

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